TOP STORIES

May 30, 1997

Women continue 50-year rodeo tradition

PECOS, May 30, 1997 - Members of a Pecos women's club will continue a
50-year tradition this summer by selling programs at the West of the
Pecos Rodeo.

The women are members of the Pecos Business and Professional Women's
Club and have been providing this special service for many years.

"I've been involved in this part of the rodeo activities for many
years," said Catherine Travland, who is currently secretary and
publicity coordinator for the group.

Travland not only used to sell the program, but used to help in putting
the book together.

"For 13 years I not only sold the books, but I would help put them
together because I was a member of the rodeo committee and B&PW," she
said.

Travland would get the information for the book together, sell ads for
the program and then sell the books at the rodeos.

"The club doesn't put the programs together anymore, we're just in
charge of selling them at the rodeo," said Travland.

It's been several years since she has put them together, according to
Travland.

One special page on the program is dedicated to the club.

"We buy a whole page each year and we feature our scholarship girls,
woman of the year, our aims and objectives," said Travland.

Another page will be a memorial to those who were very involved with
rodeo activities or who were longtime Reeves County residents involved
in farming and ranching.

Bonita Hart will be one of those featured on the special page. She was a
longtime member of B&PW and had been selling rodeo programs since the
late 1940s. She died last year, shortly after the rodeo activities.

The club has been selling the programs for the last 50 years.

"We started out selling the programs for 50 cents and now they are $5,"
said Travland.

The program began as a book of advertisement only.

"It featured ads and very little else," said Travland.

The layout of the program was later expanded to include more information
on the rodeo.

"It changed forms in 1979, that was the second book I worked on and they
started putting more information about the rodeo and the area," said
Travland.

More history was included in the souvenir addition and the group started
sponsor pages instead of just advertisements.

Full color ads are available on the program for those who wish to
purchase them, according to Travland.

The purpose of the souvenir addition is to promote the rodeo and area
history.

"We just want to carry on the tradition of the rodeo souvenir programs,"
said Travland.

North-side pool to open next month

Skip to next story PECOS, May 30, 1997 - Children on the north side of town will be glad to
hear that the North Side Swimming Pool will be open this year.

The pool did not open last year for economic reasons.

However, earlier this week Reeves County Commissioners approved funding
for three people to work at the North Side Pool. Marcia Levario, Billy
Rodriguez and T.J. Huffman will be lifeguards at the pool.

Commissioners also agreed to upgrade the concession stand at the pool.

Commissioner Bernardo Martinez, of Precinct #4, agreed to help get the
pool started because he was the commissioner with the most experience
with the pool.

The North Side Pool, at the corner of Walnut and B streets, will open
June 10 and will operate from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Attorney almost arrested smoking in court house

Billie Sol Estes on the docket

PECOS, May 30, 1997 - Friday is the big day in 143rd District Court,
for that is when Judge Bob Parks handles divorces, child custody
disputes and pre-trial matters in civil and criminal cases.

Last Friday, the courtroom was crowded with mothers seeking to prove
the identity of their childrens' fathers through DNA testing. This
morning, the crowd was sparse, and most of the excitement came outside
the courtroom.

Roddy Harrison, seeking to suppress evidence on two drug possession
charges against Glenn Ford Cameron, almost found himself in jail for
smoking in the courthouse.

Visiting with other lawyers and court personnel in the jury room where
coffee is provided free of charge, Harrison lit up a cigarette.

"You are putting everybody on the spot," Gomez told Harrison. "I am
going to have to arrest you."

Harrison promised not to smoke in the courthouse again, so Gomez let
him go with a warning. But, "If he does it again, he's going to jail,"
Gomez said.

Billie Sol Estes, who has spent a lot of time inside a courtroom and in
jail - and is again charged with the crime of fraud - was on the docket
as plaintiff in a civil suit.

Estes filed against his former accountant, A.B. Foster Jr., for alleged
"breach of duty of trust" by wrongfully withdrawing funds from business
bank accounts 36 years ago.

Foster's answer to the suit claims that all debts he owed Estes were
paid to the trustee in Estes' bankruptcy proceeding in 1962.

Based on that, Estes' attorney, Barlow Smith of San Antonio, filed
notice of nonsuit, which Judge Parks approved.

Estes built an empire in Reeves County on non-existent fertilizer tanks,
which collapsed in 1962 when the weekly newspaper, the Pecos
Independent, uncovered the scheme to finance his business dealings with loans on the tanks.

Second guilty verdict this week

for marijuana possession charge

PECOS, May 30, 1997 - Federal ccourt jurors on Thursday rendered the
second "guilty" verdict of the week in a marijuana smuggling case when
they convicted Roseann Marei Holmberg, 46, of Odessa.

Holmberg was arrested by Ward County Sheriff's Department deputies Jim
Price and Gene Baker on Jan. 24 as she traveled north on Farm Road 1776
and Texas Highway 18 toward Monahans.

Price noticed the pickup at 4:30 a.m. when it passed his location on
FM1776 at 61 m.p.h., then slowed to 40. Following the pickup, he noticed
one taillight and the license plate light were not working. The other
taillight was exceptionally bright.

Suspicious, Price radioed Baker to intercept the pickup, then turned
around and headed south, watching the pickup in his rearview mirror.
Holmberg speeded up after he turned, Price said.

Baker intercepted the pickup when it turned off 1776 onto Texas 18, then
stopped it three miles south of Monahans. As he approached the vehicle,
Baker noticed a strong odor of marijuana.

Obtaining consent to search, the two deputies found 24 bundles of
marijuana weighing 431 pounds under a tarp in the pickup bed. Holmberg
told them she was to be paid $500 for transporting the load from Alpine
to Odessa.

Prosecutor Jim Blankinship called two deputies and FBI agent Dan Leyman
of Midland. Defense attorney Tony Chavez of Odessa called four witnesses
for the defense.

The jury trial closed out the weekly docket of U.S. District Judge Royal
Furgeson.

In other court action, U.S. Magistrate Judge Stuart Platt unsealed
search warrants obtained by the Secret Service to seize records,
computers and equipment from the Republic of Texas "embassy" at the
Davis Mountains Resort near Fort Davis.

Agents were searching for records relating to worthless warrants issued
by the ROT for purchase of "Texas Ranger" badges and other materials.
ROT "ambassador" Richard McLaren and his wife, Evelyn, are among those
indicted in Dallas federal court in relation to the worthless warrants.

Local blood supply needs replenishing

Skip to next storyPECOS, May 30, 1997 - Giving blood saves lives. There are no artificial
substitutes.

With that in mind, the Reeves County Hospital Ladies Auxiliary will be
sponsoring a Blood Drive on Wednesday, June 4, 1997 at Reeves County
Hospital.

The drive is being conducted by the Permian Basin Blood Institute of
Midland and will be held in the lobby of the hospital from 1 to 6 p.m.

Advances in medical technology are allowing increasingly efficient use
of each pint of blood donated, but the demand for blood today is greater
than ever, and the local supply needs constant replenishment.

Donating blood takes approximately 15 minutes and all potential donors
will receive a mini-physical.

As well as a mini-physical, other testing will be offered at the blood
drive. Cholesterol testing is available free to all donors or there is a
$5 fee for non-donors. Prostate Serum Antigen (PSA) testing will also be
available for men. Donors can receive the test for $15 or non-donors can
receive the test for $20.

Free T-shirts will be given to each blood donor.

For more information call Nancy Ontiveros at Reeves County Hospital at
447-3551.

Custom agents snag half-dozen ostriches

Skip to next storyPRESIDIO, May 30, 1997 - U.S. Customs Service inspectors at the Presidio
port of entry took custody of six ostriches they discovered while
performing inspections at the port Wednesday afternoon.

The unusual case began after Customs inspectors saw a man park a truck
and trailer at the Presidio port parking lot. The driver then began
walking away from the vehicle when he was approached by Customs
inspectors.The driver, a 21-year-old Odessa man, told Customs that he
arrived at the Presidio port from Mexico after Mexican officials refused
him entry. Customs inspects looked in the trailer and were surprised to
find it contained half-a-dozen of the bigbirds.

The man was asked if he had the proper documents to export goods to
Mexico. The man did not have the documents in his possession, in
violation of U.S. law.

In addition to the export violation, Customs special agents are in the
process of determining if any U.S. Fish & Wildlife or U.S. Department of
Agriculture laws were violated.

Customs officials detained the truck, trailer and birds, pending
completion of the investigation. The driver was released but faces
possible fines and the loss of his property, depending on the result of
the investigation.

The U.S. Customs Service is the nation's leading border enforcement
agency. Customs enforces 600 laws for 60 different federal agencies. In
the past Customs inspectors along the southwest border have intercepted
a variety of live animals being smugled into the United States, including Gila monsters, scorpions, snakes, and exotic birds.

AREA NEWS ROUNDUP

The Fort Stockton Pioneer

FORT STOCKTON, May 29, 1997 - Months of speculation finally came to an
end when Fort Stockton Chief of Police Dee Johns was served with a
warrant following his indictment by a grand jury. Johns has maintained
his innocence and he reiterated that point when word of the indictment
reached him, and announced that he was looking forward to his day in
court.

The Big Bend Sentinel

MARFA, May 29, 1997 - District Attorney Albert Valadez said the death
of Esequiel Hernandez Jr. will be taken before a Presidio County grand
jury. Hernandez, an 18-year-old Presidio High School sophomore, was shot
and killed near his Redford home by a U.S. Marine assisting the Border
Patrol on a drug-interdiction operation.

The Alpine Avalanche

ALPINE, May 29, 1997 - Marathon native Roberto Gonzales made history
when he walked across the stage May 10 to accept his diploma for earning
a doctoral degree in Neurobiology at the University of Texas at San
Antonio. He became the first Hispanic to earn a Ph.D. at UTSA.

The International, Presidio Paper

PRESIDIO, May 29, 1997 - Jeremias Alvarez and Azucena Vasquez are the
valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, for the Presidio High
School class of 1997. Two Presidio High School student musicians Sally
Averitt and Rogelio Zubia took the gold and silver medals,
respectively, at the Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest.

The Sanderson Times

SANDERSON, May 29, 1997 - Eighteen seniors in Sanderson High School
will receive a diploma in commencement exercises. Annette Flores will
deliver the valedictory address and Lydia Rodriguez will give the
salutatory, followed by the presentation of awards by superintendent
David Kennedy.

The Monahans News

MONAHANS, May 29, 1997 - Ward County's Tax Appraisal office reports
preliminary figures indicate property valuations are up across the
country over 1996 totals. Monahans' unique Million Barrel Museum,
dedicated to the story and the artifacts of the West Texas Oil Patch, celebrates its tenth birthday on Saturday, May 31.

OBITUARY

Jean Jenkins

Graveside services are scheduled for 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 31 at
Greenwood Cemetery in Fort Worth.

She graduated from Pascal High School, attended Lindenwood College in
Missouri and the University of Texas in Austin where she was a member of
Zeta Tau Alpha. She was a member of the Colonial Dames of America and
the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Survivors include two sons, Borden Jenkins of Corpus Christi, Pat
Jenkins of Waskon; one daughter, Jennifer Myers of Bellville; two
brothers, Bill Davis of Fort Worth, Bob Davis of Midland and six grandchildren.

WEATHER

Return to topPECOS, May 30, 1997 - High Thursday, 95, low this morning, 61. Tonight
will be partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms and a
low around 60. Winds will be easterly at 10-20 mph. Saturday will be
partly cloudy with a high around 85 and east to southeast winds at 10-20
mph.

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